


Something Domestic

by ShenanigansEnsue



Series: Elizabeth "Doc" O'Neil [5]
Category: MASH (TV)
Genre: Breakfast, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Feels, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Happy Ending, Just a lot of feelings you guys, Post-Canon, Romantic Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-13 10:22:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29276892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShenanigansEnsue/pseuds/ShenanigansEnsue
Summary: The war is over. Hawkeye and Liz have settled in Crabapple Cove and important decision need to be made.
Relationships: Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce/Elizabeth "Doc" O'Neil, Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce/Original Character(s), Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce/Original Female Character(s)
Series: Elizabeth "Doc" O'Neil [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1611625
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	Something Domestic

Hawkeye woke up slowly to a crisp autumn morning. The sun streamed white light through blinds, and he would just make out the orange colored leaves from the tree just outside the window.

It was a Saturday. He had the next two days off from the hospital and he was going to enjoy every second of it.

He rolled over, his arm instinctively searching for another body beside him. Much to his chagrin, he turned up empty.

Peaking an eye open, he sight confirmed what his touch implied; Liz was already up. Knowing her, she had been up for hours and just didn’t want to disturb him. A part of him was grateful she thought to let him catch up on some sleep, but another part just wanted her to lay right in bed beside him and stay there for the rest of the day.

Reluctantly, he finally pulled himself into a standing position. A glance at the clock signaled he had slept for a respectable ten hours. He should had been embarrassed, but he reasoned it was just his body making up for three years of abuse.

He pulled on his robe and made his way downstairs. The moment he was ground level, he was instantly met with the smell of coffee and breakfast. Liz wasn’t exactly going to win any cooking competition, but he’d put her scrambled eggs and bacon against any five star restaurant this side of the Mississippi.

He followed his nose to the kitchen. A cup of coffee and plate of breakfast were on the table waiting for him. He grinned, and turned to thank the chef only to find her back to him, her head facing a wall covered in paint swatches.

“And good morning to you too,” he teased.

She spun around, her eyes blinking out of what must have been deep concentration.

“Oh hey,” she said, her lips forming a soft smile. “Sorry. How long were you standing there?”

“Not long,” he assured, before gesturing to the kitchen table. “Care to join me?”

She shook her head. “No you go ahead, I already ate.”

He looked to the sink. Sure enough, a dirty plate and used coffee cup were soaking in a think layer of bubbles, waiting to be washed.

His brow furrowed. “How long have you been up?”

She shrugged. “Just a couple of hours. I wasn’t sleeping that well anyway.”

His stomach dropped, a sudden rush of worry pouring into his chest. “Something happen? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she promised. “This wall is just driving me crazy. I ran out to the hardware store this morning to get some more samples and I don’t think it’s helping.”

She turned back to the wall in question, her body becoming perfectly still, the way it always did when she was in deep thought.

He couldn’t help but give a small laugh at the relief that filled him. There was no doubt about it, it really was just the wall on her mind.

Deciding to leave his coffee for later, he walked over to her and wrapped her in a warm hug from behind. Her back instinctively leaned against his chest making it easy for him to rest his chin on top of her head.

An array of colors met his eye, ranging from blue to yellow to more shades of white than he thought was possible. There was also cut outs of various kitchens undoubtedly taken from those home life magazine she had been getting from the grocery story.

“What’s the hold up,” he prompted.

“I’m just not sure what works,” she said, sounding mildly distressed. “I like the idea of yellow, but that means we have to redo the cabinets. Blue would look nice, but I’m not sure if it’ll make the room too dark or not match the rest of the house. And then everything I’ve been reading says that you should just go with some wallpaper, but then we run into the cabinet problem again…”

Hawkeye listened to her ramble, but somewhere in the stream of words he lost their meaning He was suddenly aware of how soft her hair was and how nicely her body fit into his. He wasn’t too hot or too cold. The only other sounds were the rustling of leaves and the hum of appliances. He was standing in his own kitchen with the smell of coffee and bacon and the woman he loved in his nose, and the only major decision he had to make was what color the wall was going to be.

Something bubbled in him, buzzing and light, pushing further and further out until it spilled from his lips in a joyous laugh.

Liz turned her head to look up at him. “What?”

He kept laughing. He just couldn’t stop. Hell, he didn’t want to.

“What’s so funny?” Liz repeated, trying to sound annoyed, even if her smile gave her away. “This is very serious business, you know.”

His laughter dissolved into giggles as he buried his head into her neck.

“Look, just because I have no idea what I’m doing, does not mean you get to make fun of me,” she continued, her own laughter joining with his as she tried to wriggle out of his grip.

He just pulled her in closer, kissing her neck for good measure again and again pulling a surprised squeal from her lips.

“Hawkeye, what’s gotten into you?”

He grinned. “You. This. Everything. Have I told you you’re perfect today?”

“No, but I’ll take the compliment.” She turned her head around, blocking his lips from her neck and forcing him to meet her eyes. “Seriously though, are you alright?”

He couldn’t stop smiling, even the light concern of her tone made him giddy.

“Alright? Liz I’m…” He paused, trying to get some grip on his thoughts. “I didn’t think anyone could be this happy. I’m not sure its legal. After everything…for so long, I didn’t believe something like this was even possible. There were days I couldn’t see past the morning. I couldn’t let myself because just the idea of home hurt too much. And on the days I could think about home, I’d think about what it would be like if you weren’t there, and it’d hurt all over again. But you’re here, this is our home, and…you’re worried about paint! I don’t think my life could be any more perfect then it is right now.”

She stared up at him, her brown eyes going glossy with emotion. He wanted to apologize for making her cry, but he was almost there himself. He couldn’t think of a time he’d been so happy he wanted to cry.

“You don’t mind that I’m genuinely a terrible homemaker,” she said, trying to make it sound like a joke.

“Are you kidding?” he said. “I cannot wait to pick out terrible furniture with you. Our house is going to be a disgrace to the neighborhood. People will look at our cabinets in horror. We’ll paint all the walls orange, decide we hate it and do it all over again, this time in lime green.”

She laughed turning into his arms and burying herself in his chest.

He pulled her in, rocking them back and forth as he pressed a kiss on top of her head. Just faintly, he could feel the warmth of fresh tears on his shirt.

He looked down, guiding Liz to look at him.

“What is it?” he ask, gently.

She was smiling even will the stain of wet streaks down her face. “It’s just…I didn’t think this was in the cards for me. Even before Korea, it never occurred to me that this could be my life. I thought I blew my chance, but now I’m here and…God, there are times I love you so much it hurts.” Her eyes grew distant, her smile slipping away. “I never dreamed I could even deserve this.”

Hawkeye stared down at her, a tightness growing in this throat. There were so many things he wanted to say to her, but none of them felt right for this moment.

Leaning down, he pressed his lips to hers, encompassing them both in a desperate kiss. He poured everything he felt in that moment, willing himself to drown in it. He could taste the salt of tears and sweetened coffee on her mouth. He would hold onto that taste for as long as he lived.

“You do deserve it,” he found himself saying. “You deserve only good things for the rest of your life. You’ve more than earned it.”

He could feel her smile against him before her forehead pressed against his. 

“I think we both have,” she said gently.

He kissed her again, pulling her up into his arms as he guided her legs around his waist. Blindly, he started walking them out of the kitchen.

“Hawkeye,” she murmured.

He hummed in vague acknowledgement.

“Breakfast.”

He shook his head. “Later. Besides, I’ve got to build up my appetite first.”

Liz laughed, muffling her giggles into his shoulder as he carried her back up the stairs and into bed.

It really couldn’t get any better than this, but there was no harm in trying. 


End file.
